


Of Missed Dates and Death Days

by CheetahLeopard2



Series: White Collar/Batman fics [6]
Category: Batman - All Media Types, White Collar (TV 2009)
Genre: Anniversary of Jason Todd's Death, Jason Todd is Red Hood, M/M, Other, POV Outsider, Tim Drake is Neal Caffrey
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-08
Updated: 2021-02-08
Packaged: 2021-03-14 11:53:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,070
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29295459
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CheetahLeopard2/pseuds/CheetahLeopard2
Summary: Jason visits Neal Caffrey (Tim Drake) in the officeThere’s a man sitting at Neal’s desk.He’s tall and broad, shoulders stretching his worn brown leather jacket. His combat boots are propped up on the desk as he leans back in Neal’s chair, flipping through a book.Occasionally he’ll look up and scan the room with disinterested but sharp eyes, meeting the side-long glances thrown his way unflinchingly before returning to his book.Thedingof the elevator signals Neal and Peter’s return, and all heads turn to the door, with the exception of the man, who keeps flipping through his book.
Relationships: Tim Drake/Jason Todd, Tim Drake/Kon-El | Conner Kent/Jason Todd
Series: White Collar/Batman fics [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2025266
Comments: 17
Kudos: 238





	Of Missed Dates and Death Days

**Author's Note:**

> The 'list' Neal is referring to is the FBI wanted list in case that's not clear

There’s a man sitting at Neal’s desk.

He’s tall and broad, shoulders stretching his worn brown leather jacket. His combat boots are propped up on the desk as he leans back in Neal’s chair, flipping through a book.

Occasionally he’ll look up and scan the room with disinterested but sharp eyes, meeting the side-long glances thrown his way unflinchingly before returning to his book.

The _ding_ of the elevator signals Neal and Peter’s return, and all heads turn to the door, with the exception of the man, who keeps flipping through his book.

The moment Neal catches sight of the man is clear, because his expression takes on an edge of long-suffering and fondness. He raps his knuckles on his desk to get his attention, “What’re you doing here?”

“Can’t I visit my favorite little bird?” the man asks, raising his eyes from his book to pear at Neal through his lashes, charming smirk playing along his lips.

Neal smiles back, wary and disarmingly fond all at once, “Depends on if you’re still on his list,” an eyebrow raises expectantly, and the man shrugs, a roll of his shoulders that makes worn leather creak.

“I am,” the smirk grows wider, “I double-checked.”

Neal laughs, a light, delighted sound, “I suppose, if you’ve gotten away with it so far, you can stay.”

“Sorry,” Peter interjects, “Who are you?”

“Where are my manners?” tone just short of teasing, the man gently marks his page and places the book in one of the drawers of Neal’s desk that was _certainly_ locked beforehand, before extending a hand, “I’m Jason.”

Peter waits an expectant moment, before his lips twitch in annoyance, “Just Jason?” he asks, one brow quirked with an awkward smile.

Jason just smiles, a baring of sharp white teeth.

“Neal,” Peter turns to Neal with a tight smile, “can I talk to you for a moment?”

“Sure,” Neal says, shifting his weight back and gesturing for him to continue with a smile.

Peter stares at him expectantly, and Neal nods his head, mouth forming an ‘Oh’, “You meant privately?”

Peter nods, turning back towards the elevators. Jason waves as they walk away, and Neal turns back to wave once before turning to follow Peter.

Jason doesn’t move to take his book back out, instead turning to Diana from where she’s looking cases over in the next desk, “So, ya look like a classy woman, what restaurants around here d’ya recommend?”

Diana looks him over with a critical, disinterested gaze, “Ones without me in them.”

Jason barks a laugh, “No offense to ya, but I was askin’ for me an’ Neal,” he leans over, like he’s sharing a secret, “he missed my anniversary ‘nd said he’d take me out s’mewhere nice ta make up f’r it.”

Diana’s eyes sharpen with an interested gleam, “Oh?” she abandons the cases she’s working on to turn to Jason fully.

Jason nods, eyes twinkling, “Gotta make sure he’s not gonna be a cheapskate.”

“Well,” Diana starts just as Neal returns, and he stops in his tracks.

“Oh no,” he says, terror in his tone, “what’d he say?”

“Just that you missed his anniversary,” Diana says evenly, cutting a glance to Peter at Neal’s side, whose face lights up in glee.

“Oh? You, Mr Romantic, missed an anniversary?” Peter lilts, grin lighting up his whole face.

Neal blanches, turning to Jason, “You were in Kansas with-” he cuts himself off, side-eyeing Diana and Peter. His voice goes low and concerned, “I thought you said you’d be okay this year?”

Jason’s eyes go a shade darker, his lips twitching into a momentary frown, before he pastes on a slight smile and shrugs, palms open, “It wasn’t my worst,” he allows, as Neal catches the hand closest to him and laces their fingers, “not my best either.”

Neal’s expression goes impossibly soft and worried, and Jason clears his throat, looking away with a slight blush before changing tone, “But either way, you said you’d make it up to me, so-” he leers, “here I am.”

Neal nods, “We can go to that sushi place Conner recommended.” He looks up at Diana and Peter, “Well, I’m out for the night.”

“See you tomorrow,” they chorus with matching smirks, watching as Jason retrieves his book and stands, gesturing for Neal to lead the way.

* * *

“What’d Peter say?” Jason asks teasingly as they step into the elevator, jostling Tim with his shoulder.

Tim hums, “The usual when someone who knows me shows up, ‘Don’t bring trouble to the office,’ ‘don’t fall into bad habits,’ etc.”

“And what’d you tell ‘im?” Jason asks.

Tim keeps his eyes glued to the numbers at the top of the elevator as they count down, “That you’re a good person with a strong moral compass.”

Jason says nothing, instead brushing the back of Tim’s hand with his knuckles. Silently asking permission.

Tim turns his palm to the inside of Jason’s arm, slotting their fingers together and squeezing.

“Nothin’ ‘bout bein’ on the wanted list, huh?” Jason smirks as they step out of the elevator.

Tim snorts, ducking his head with his smile, “Nah, he has enough to worry about.”

They walk in silence for a bit, swinging their hands between them, before Tim leans a bit more weight into Jason’s side, “Was it really okay?”

Jason hums, “My deathday?”

Tim nods, and Jason sucks some air in between his teeth, releasing it in a forceful exhale.

More silence, considering.

“It was alright, I guess,” Jason says, softly, like if he says it out loud it might change, “Kon was great at keepin’ my mind off it. Ma made pie, so that was nice. Krypto laid on me half the day, and seeing Biz so happy with the Kents was nice.”

“Yeah?” Tim prompts.

“Yeah,” Jason says, in another rush of breath, “it was easier than last year. Or… the beginnin’. Still missed ya though.”

Tim smiles, fragile, soft, “I missed you too, worried all day. I’m glad Kon was there, you two hadn’t had a date night in a while.”

Jason shrugs, “Well, he’s waitin’ at your place, and I ‘xpect we’ll all spend a lot a time in bed.”

“Needing some hugs?” Tim asks, squeezing Jason’s hand with a glint in his eye that’s mirrored in Jason’s smile.

“Among other things.”

“I’m taking that as a promise,” Tim says with a laugh, bright and carefree.

They’ll be alright.

**Author's Note:**

> Please Comment!!
> 
> There's now a White Collar/Batman crossover Discord Server!!! join here: https://discord.gg/YW6G2qFvFy


End file.
